Tagging still surprises
Dr Pepperell has been involved with Australia’s Game Fish Tagging
Program for more than 40 years and still finds it yields great scientific
value, as well as many surprises from the gamefish recaptured. Here
he presents some of the past year’s most significant highlights.Y
ou might think that after 40-plus years of involvement with the Australian Game Fish
Tagging Program I would have seen it all. But you’d be wrong. In fact, every year as I help
put together the program’s annual report there is always some new piece of information,
a new record set, or some unexpected recapture that surprises and continues to prove
the value of such a long-running citizen science project. Unsurprisingly, the last tagging year was
no exception.During 2017/18 a total of 12,386 fish were tagged, a big increase on the previous year’s total
of 8794 and the highest tally for seven years. In addition, 209 recaptures of tagged fish were
reported during the year, the most for 10 years. These numbers brought the grand totals of
fish tagged and recaptured on the program since its origin to 470,961 and 8208 respectively.
Now that’s impressive!It was also another huge year for tagging of billfish. In fact, 2017/18 delivered the biggest
numbers over the program’s entire 44-year history, with a remarkable 7491 tagged – 60% of
the total number of all fish tagged for the year. That total included around 3400 black marlin,
1800 striped marlin, 1100 sailfish and 1100 blue marlin – the first year that the number of
blues tagged has exceeded 1000.There isn’t enough space in this column to include
all the details, but here are just a few highlights
of the recapture information received by NSW DPI
during 2017/18.Although instances of black marlin tagged off
Australia and recaptured north of the equator
are normally quite rare occurrences, three such
recaptures were reported this year, all by northern
Pacific longline vessels. One of those had travelled
a minimum straight-line distance of 8740km over its eight months of liberty, a rate of 35km
per day. This marks the third-longest distance travelled by a black marlin under the program.
Another had swum even faster, covering the 5500km between south-eastern Queensland and
the northern Marianas islands in just 85 days, giving an average travel rate of at least 66km
per day.Just the fourth recreationally tagged broadbill swordfish was recaptured during the year.
Released off Mallacoota in Victoria, it was recaptured 13 months later on the Fraser seamount
off southern Queensland. During that time it had doubled in size from an estimated 18kg
at release to 36kg when recaptured. In an even rarer event, a shortbill spearfish was also
recaptured, only the second in the program’s history. Initially tagged off Sydney, it was
recaptured by a Japanese longliner in the Coral Sea 19 months later.Two recaptured albacore set new records for the program. One was tagged off Jervis Bay in
NSW and recaptured off Tauranga in New Zealand nearly 10 years later, setting a new time-
at-liberty record for the species. The other was tagged off Tasmania and recaptured near Fiji,
setting a new straight-line distance travelled record for albacore after covering nearly 4000km.Yellowtail kingfish continue to be tagged and recaptured in high numbers. In fact, their
recapture rate of 6.75% is the highest for any species on the program. Last year, 90 kingfish
were recaptured, only 24 of which had moved more than 10km. In contrast, three fish had
made epic journeys from South Australia to New South Wales. Two of those had been tagged
off Coffin Bay and were recaptured off Sydney, while the third was tagged off Port Augusta and
recaptured off South West Rocks in northern NSW.The Game Fish Tagging Program’s Annual Report for 2017/18, and those for previous years,
are available to view on the NSW DPI website at: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/
resources/fish-tagging. Keep reading BlueWater for up-to-date news items on the tagging
program from DPI which are featured in every issue.The Game Fish Tagging Program is generously supported by the NSW Recreational Fishing
Trust through funds raised from the Recreational Fishing Licence in that State.DR PEPPERELL
DR JULIAN PEPPERELL is
a recognised world authority
on billfish and other pelagic
species. He is especially well-
known for developing the
Australian gamefish tagging
program. Julian formed his
own research company in
1991 and conducts research
in partnership with universities,
government and the private
sector. He is also an adjunct
professor at several Australian
universities. He provides a
rare gift in his ability to bridge
the gap between the scientific
community and recreational
anglers.
“Unexpectedsurprises
continueto provethevalue
ofsucha long-runningcitizen
scienceproject.”
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